In recent months, the world of journalism has seen an increased focus on “explainer” news sites. Examples include new sites like Vox, Newsbound, FiveThirtyEight and The Upshot by The New York Times. The demand for explanations in the news is growing.
Taking a step back, I think it’s interesting to think about why it’s happening and what it could mean for the future.
Let’s start with the goal: If you set out to explain something, your goal is to increase understanding. So, explainer news sites... Continue Reading

Newsbound is a startup creating news explainers in a unique visual format. I interviewed their Explainer-in-Chief last year. Newsbound founder Josh Kalven recently wrote about the need for explainers in the news and specifically, what’s missing from their use:
But looking across the explanatory landscape, there’s a glaring problem. While the news industry is investing in topic-based explainers, it’s regularly failing to get the return it deserves. This isn’t due to lack of demand. News... Continue Reading